Praise Ushers In Victory
37 “Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Luke 19:37-38 NKJV
Jesus is about to make His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and we see the multitudes gathering to Jesus, rejoicing in Him and praising Him. It is interesting that the words we see the multitudes offering to Jesus at this moment of praise are so very similar to the words of praise that were spoken over Jesus when He entered the world as a baby.
Listen to the words spoken at that moment: saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews… from Matthew 2:2. As He was identified and blessed as the King at His birth and then He became flesh, here as He is entering the final days of His life in this flesh He is praised and blessed as the King of the Jews.
From Luke’ account of the birth of Jesus, we see more similarity with what was spoken at the end of His life in this flesh: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” The verse above also ends with the verbiage of praise for His evident glory and the peace which Jesus represents between God and man.
It is praise that ushered Jesus into this world to become a man, to live in this flesh just as we do, and it was praise that ushered Jesus into these final moments and days of His life when He would fulfill all that was prophesied and the will of the Father for all mankind. Praise ushered Jesus into this world and Jerusalem for His great sacrificial work. There had to be praise. As we learn from His approach to Jerusalem there had to be praise for who Jesus was and what He was about to do for all men. If the mouths of men did not praise the name of Jesus, then the rest of creation which He created would itself praise Him. Jesus said that even the rocks themselves would cry out in praise.
Praise in the Bible is always seen as a source of strength and here we see that praise is the strength Jesus needs. Likewise, praise is our strength as well. No matter what you might face today remember that praise is your strength. It ushered Jesus into His final victory and it will also usher you into the victories He has already established for you. You have the strength of praise with you in all that you face right now today, so praise Him despite what you see or feel and watch as the circumstances conform to the Word, not the things of the world.
J Todd Hostetler